1. Field of the Invention
The systems and methods taught herein are generally directed to a dynamic point referencing of an audiovisual performance for an accurate and precise selection and controlled cycling of portions of the performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any performing artist can appreciate rhythm and timing, as well as the fact that many skills can be handed down from one artist to the next, whether the artists are aspiring or seasoned. Such performing artists can include, for example, musicians, actors, dancers, and the like, and will appreciate the teachings set-forth herein. Even the smallest inflections of a note's volume, attack, and length, for example, can represent some of the many reasons why one player could be considered more accomplished than another.
Performing artists currently use instructional DVD's or streaming video to hone their skillset, learn new material, or acquire new skills. However, the problem remains that conventional video playback devices and internet streaming players lack the ability of a transport system that can give a user the type accuracy, precision, and control to quickly identify and repeat sections that are difficult to learn. Traditional video playback systems simply do not provide a method to accurately and precisely control and cycle sections of a video playback in a rhythmic and desirable manner. The technology to do so is currently unavailable, for at least the reason that the performing arts tend to have at least minor inconsistencies, as well as often complex and variable timing, associated with a performance, making it difficult to automate the parsing of the very unpredictable and highly detailed structure of the performance. It should be noted that even the slightest inconsistencies or variations in the timing of a performance make it very difficult, and in some case seemingly impossible, to automate the parsing of the performance.
A problem in the art includes learning how to emulate subtleties, such as gestures, body movements, and hand positions, and the like, and then identifying the desired portion of a performance having the subtlety, as well as accurately and precisely selecting and practicing the desired portion until it is learned. The guitar, for example, as well as other stringed instruments, is prone to subtle variations of the vibrato on the strings, which can make performances unique from one player to the next. Any musical instrument, or dance, can be subject to such subtleties where dance, of course, can be seen as directed to the aesthetics of combinations of body movements that follow a piece of music. Drummers, percussionists, and other types of rhythm instruments also include subtleties, for example, which may not be apparent to the layman but can again be a determining factor as to why one musician may sound more accomplished. One of skill in any performing art can appreciate the fact that such subtleties can occur quickly, and a tool that helps them identify and view the subtletly would be very helpful in developing or honing a skill.
In a desirable learning environment, a performer could easily, as well as accurately and precisely, select a desired portion of an audio/video file, repeatedly cycle the desired portion, adjust the tempo of the desired portion according to the performer's skill level to make the learning process easier, select one or more additional desired portions as needed to learn the piece, and observing each desired portion at the adjusted tempo. Musicians try to achieve this type of system, makeshift, using the only tools they have available currently. For example, a musician may try to learn a section of a musical piece with video assistance by trying to set a cycle point on their DVD player, media player, video editing software or video stream, but this usually results in many failed, and highly frustrating, attempts at accurately selecting a particular section of the work that they are learning. There is no system available, even a professional editing system, that provides a transport mechanism that can quickly, accurately, and precisely select a particular, desirable rhythmical portion of an audiovisual performance, whether the performance varies by a minor amount or dramatically in tempo throughout the performance. As such, it's apparent that the learning artist is currently highly frustrated in his attempts at establishing a repetitive section that repeats in a rhythmic pattern. To add to the frustration, the user has to deal with this problem repeatedly while moving through a work, selecting each desired portion as he moves his way through the process of learning how to perform the entire work.
The above features can be somewhat achieved in a live environment, where the learning is done real-time with a live teacher, although the accuracy and precision of the playback of the desired portion, the tempo of the playback, and the cycling is limited to human error and tolerance in the live environment. Unfortunately, not all musicians have readily available access to the live teaching environment and, moreover, those that may have such access will not likely have the flexibility or frequency of access that they may want. Moreover, access to instruction regarding a particular performance by a popular artist may be entirely unavailable.
Visual displays are an effective way for a performing artist to learn, and this is particularly true for performing artists that cannot read music, for example, or don't have access to a teacher. Visual demonstrations can provide a performing artist with general techniques, such as how to hold an instrument, hand positions, and body positions, as well as detailed information about fingering, nuances, and other techniques used by performers. Moreover, subjective details in musical notation, for example, can also be observed while watching an accomplished performing artist.
Currently, no system offers these features while also providing the function of observing a desired portion of a performance while rhythmically cycled at an adjusted tempo. Generally speaking, those of skill in the art of teaching movements that relate to a performing art would appreciate a system that allows a user to select and view a performer's actions according to a desired portion of performance, particularly where the desired portion contains difficult passages having many actions in rapid succession, perhaps moving too quickly for the user to otherwise comprehend. As such, the system could find application in teaching any performing art such as, for example, musicians or dancers.
Accordingly, one of skill will appreciate having a learning tool that provides a unique and effective way to, at least, (i) learn intricate interpretations of a performance; (ii) learn skills that can be variable from performer to performer; (iii) make an accurate and precise selection of repetitive cycling points of a desired audiovisual portion of a performance; (iv) help those that cannot read music to identify, isolate, set rhythmical cycling points, and practice portions of a musical work they are trying to learn, whether these portions are found in individual notes, beats, bars, or otherwise; (v) quickly reference and mark different sections of a work; (vi) select repetitive cycle points that snap to a tempo/index grid, and easily adjustable to additional cycling points; (vii) slow the audiovisual display down to a comfortable speed without changing the pitch; and, (viii) use the step advance mode to move between pre-selected beats or subdivided beats.